Victorine Deych

Wellness curator, New York City

Sex, drugs and essential oils.

By: Michael Small | Photos: Tawni Bannister

The language surrounding health and wellness tends to live in a neat little box – soothing taglines, gentle promises and calming descriptions. So, if the name the name Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll – for a luxury oils collection, of all things – catches you by surprise, we don’t blame you.

Victorine Deych, a wellness curator out of New York City, wanted to play with how we talk and feel about wellness. She created Sex Drugs and Rock & Roll because she believes there are three different types of people in the world, and wanted to create a scent that represents each archetype, while having a bit of fun in the process.

“Sex (Candlewood, florals) is for those that thrive in community and connection, and who are incredibly tactile,” explains Deych. “Drugs (black pepper, rosewood, hemp) is for those that are really grounded. It's an antidote for something that is potentially not going the way you'd like it to be. Then, Rock & Roll (vetiver) is for the explorers, the philosophers, those that are always seeking. It's a very invigorating scent, and it's super‑elevating.”

But don’t let the playful messaging fool you – Deych has serious nose game, and works with only the highest quality botanical, organic and ethically sourced ingredients. She believes that aromas have powerful properties that can impact everything from health to memory, and should be treated with the utmost care and respect.

“I felt the need to create something that is not only highly aromatic, sensuous and fun, but that can simultaneously have healing properties and really elevate our lives, as well as the lives of the people that are out there planting, and harvesting and distilling. It all comes back to Mother Nature.”

Deych says she’s been fascinated by scent since she was a child. “I would play with my grandmother in her Japanese garden, and we would plant different kinds of flowers and find uses for them. Some were edible, others we’d distill into oil.” But with health and wellness entering the cultural zeitgeist in recent years, she felt it was the right time to step into the arena.

“Until mindfulness, how we take care of ourselves, and natural skin care started becoming topics of interest, I didn't sense an opportunity to enter the market in the way that felt truthful and honest with myself,” says Deych. With Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll, she’s able to pursue her lifelong fascination with aromatics her way. So, the next time someone asks you what scent you’re wearing, tell them “Sex” and enjoy the reaction. Deych would approve.

Meet Victorine Deych.

“I'm just doing my part to make the world smell a little bit better.”

“I was always sensitive to how aroma impacts a feeling and how our memory channels are really connected to that.”

“I've always been living between two worlds. I never want to tell anyone that they need to do something a certain way.”

“Now we're in a space where people understand how much our largest organ (skin) actually absorbs, and how well‑being is not just drinking a green juice or getting your three workouts a week, but a 360-degree approach.”